Aeroplane.



J. & SHARP;

ABROPLANE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 18, 1909.

1 49,549. J PatentdJan. 7, 1913.

I? 53 9" I0 ,Jf

Hi #20 a V JGHN SHARPAND EEDVTARD SHFL'RP, 01'! CLEVELAND, OHIO.

AERUPLANE.

To all whom it may concern."

Be it known that we, JOHN SHARP and EDWARD SHARP, citizens of the United, States, and residents of Cleveland, in the county of Guyahoga and State'of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful linprovements in Aeroplanes, of which we hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description, such-as will enable others skilled in the. art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The objects of the invention are to provide an aeroplane flying machine with 'a large area of lifting surface and with a long" edge exposed to the wind in the smallest possible compass, and to in this manner avoida cumbersome and unwieldy form of construction and to economize space.

The invention has for its further objects, to divide up the lifting area into many connected portions, at difierent levels and to alternate 0r stagger the smaller planes orvanes thus obtained in their vertical relations, thus afiording a larger number of supporting points or surfaces, aggregating in all a large area for support, and procuring thereby a more perfect resistance to tipping influences in any one direction, and making the balance more perfect'and harder to overcome since the full area of all the planes will be acting upon the an at all times.

The gaps between the planes when the machine is in motion permit the air to rush through between the upper and lower planes at manypoints and the strong columns of air thus produced have a steadying and hiting effect upon the machine for the reason that air rushing between the upper and lower planes, leaping the gaps or spaces between the planes creates a strong downward draft between the planes. These downward streams and the streams rushing between the upper and lower planes meeting, cause a whirling and upward push upon the planes back of the gaps which assists in keeping the machine floating in the air. In falling, soaring. and gliding the full area of all the planes is acting upon the air causing the air to flow from-lower planes to upper planes before escaping to the rear, giving a parachute efl'ect. to prevent rapid falling.- I The invention includes corrugating or fluting the lanes on the lower side with the corrugations extendin in the direction of motion. With these p anes there is no specification or letters Patent.

Application filed November s, 1909. Serial no. 528,823. H E

the air, and in soaring in the tandem com Patented Jan. l, wig.

resistance to the forward movement through or gliding the air be compelled to follow the direction of the corrugations and will therefore flow either toward the front or rear and cannot escape at the tips or edges of the planes.

The forms of construction described in: crease the stability of the machine andits buoyancy and utilize the resistance of the air in falling, so that the machine will rise more readily and will stay in the air with the application of less ower than with differently constructed p anes, also'the length of the wind edge is increased without inwill creasing the apparent dimensions of the machine.

A further feature of the device is included 7 ound propeller by means of. which the e ective pulling power is increased with a given diameter of blades. The advantage found in this construction of propeller is in obtaining the same effect that would be found in using a single propeller of twice the diameter, and further the wind will not interfere so with the action of the blades, and. will not have as much action or leverage upon them,to disturb. the movements of the machine. The propeller is also condensed in form and will exert a strong pulling effect and hence can berun faster and can be builtstronger.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a light portable form of frame for the machine in which the engine and operator can be supported and which is preferably divisible .into two or more portions for packing and transportation.

- The invention further comprises the combination and arrangement of parts and construction of details, as hereinafter described, shown in the accompanyin drawings and specifically pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 lsa side elevation of the device; Fig. 2 is plan vlewthereof; Fig. 3 is a front elevatron thereof; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the corrugated planes; Fig. 5 is a plan view showing a multiplication of the staggered planes, to increase the buoyant edect.

in these, figures 1, is a frame, preferably prism shaped and constructed of tubular parts joined together in the manner of a bicycle frame andformed in two longitudinalportions joined on the center line so as to be readily taken apart if desired, 2, 2, are an upper set of planes attached to the upper bars 3, 3, of the frame and spaced apart approximately the width of one plane. Immediately below this 'space'between the planes is secured the lower plane l, mounted upon a central bar or bars 5, which is bifurcated at this point to afford a broad support for the lower plane. Upon this broadened support the engine 6 can also be placed and the operator 'can be provided with a seat upon the lower plane, where the engine levers such as shown at 7, 7, can readily be der 21. A front steering plane 22 is also.

shown. The propellers 11, 11, are arranged in tandem upon a common propeller shaft 12, and are preferably located in the front of the machine. A pair of wheels 13 in front and a single wheel 14 in the rear upon the lower part of the frame serve to support the machine upon the ground and assist in obtaining the-start. The planes are preferably corrugated as shown at' 14, 14, Fig. 4. The planes may be multiplied in number as shown in Fig. 5 to divide up the area in small portions so as to increase the efficiency of the device in stability and buoyancy, and thesame staggeredrelation between the upper and lower planes is retained as when a smaller number of planes are employed. The frame parts are conveniently connected to ether 0 an suitable clam s and sockets,

g Y Y P or other rigid connectin parts, and the frame is preferably of prism'shape with an extended and pointed rear extremity.

We do not'limit ourselves to the exact forms of structure herein' described, but

many minor modifications can be made and;

still be within the scope of the claims; for instance there may be'any number of upper and lower staggered planes, and theframe may include any number of upper or lower bars, and bracing devices, and supports for the engine and operator, or other minor changes.

The aeroplane when in the air is sobalanced that it or its planes will be slightly inclined upward, so that the current of air from the ropeller will impinge against the lower sur aces of the upper planes, and thus the propeller will asslst in lifting as well as in driving the machine forward. The tandem propeller is of particular advantage for this use since it is of condensed ing form and the current of air-produced there by will be compressed within small compass and will be entirely included between the upper and lower planes, whereas ifsingle propeller were employed with proportionately longer vanes, the air current would be distributed too widely to have its full lifting effect upon the upper planes.

Patent is: p

1. In an aeroplane, in combination, a prism shaped frame formed of tubular parts Having described the inventionwhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters and divisible into longitudinal portions, an

extended rear portion, a series of planes'secured to the upper side of the frame, a

side thereof, 'said planes spaced apart and the lower planes staggered in relation to the upper planes, and horizontal steering planes pivotally secured to the extremity of said frame.

2. In an aeroplane, in combination, a

frame, horizontal planes rigidly secured therein at difierent levels, the. planes in one level intermediate in relation to the planes in another level, each lower plane intermediate between two upper planes, and steering planes and rudder pivotally secured to said frame. y 3. In an aeroplane, in combination, a frame, horizontal planes secured therein at different levels, the planes in one levelintermediate in relation to the planes in the adjacent level, said planes corrugated in the direction of flight of the aeroplane, "and steering and propelling devices secured to said frame.

l. In an aeroplane, a prism shaped frame gether'; and a pointed rear portion, a rudder -bracket secured to the rear frame, and a rudder pivoted thereto, a horizontally pivoted steering plane in the front and rear of said frame, and horizontal planes. secured to said frame at different levels, the planes at one level having a staggered relationship to the planes at the other level.

5. In an aeroplane, the combination with planes; arranged'at upper and lower levels the lower planes being intermediate of the upper planes, of rotatable propellers, arranged intermediate of the upper and lower planes, and adapted to force the current of air against the upper planes, and asupportrame for said planes and propeller. In testimony whereof, we hereunto set our hands this 26," day of October 1909'."

. JOHN SHARP.

EDWARD SHARP. Inpresence of War. M. Mormon,-

Gro. S. Conn.

series ofsimil-ar planes secured to the lower in two longitudinal portions secured to-x 

